I thought it would be interesting to rank each and every manager that has worked under Sullivan during his reign as West Ham Chairman. Given Lopetegui is the current Head Coach I have omitted him from the list.
In last place, it has to be Avram Grant. He lasted one season in which the Hammers were relegated finishing bottom of the Premier league in 2010/2011. He did however achieve a semi final place against Birmingham City in the League Cup, yet in the league West Ham finished on 33 points and he was dismissed after the penultimate game of the season where a 3-2 loss at Wigan consigned our fate. West Ham threw away 22 points from winning positions, and Grant left West Ham with a 32% win percentage.
Next on the list is Gianfranco Zola who was at the helm when Sullivan and Gold took over the club in January 2010. In his first season West Ham against all odds finished ninth, yet finished the following season just one place above the relegation zone. He was a world class player, and in training sessions used to show up the players. Carlton Cole once said “I’m looking at him and I’m thinking I can’t do what he does. This geezers world class”. Craig Bellamy even went into see the gaffer to ask him to not participate in training “You can’t train with us. You are too good.” Zola left West Ham with a 29% win percentage.
The choice between second and third place, is not easy yet I have let my heart rule my head, so Sam Allardyce makes third place.
On paper he was not my favourite manager in terms of the football and his ego. Yet through gritted teeth he was the right man for the job in order to get West Ham out of the Championship. Being West Ham they did it the hard way via the playoffs yet a memorable day at Wembley culminated in a 2-1 victory versus Blackpool and a return to the Premiership. West Ham became a mid table team, finishing in tenth, thirteenth and twelfth place during the following seasons. Bizarrely his win percentage was only 30% which surprised me.
Boleyn ground bounce for Bilic under Sullivan
Slaven Bilic features in second place, as his first season in charge was a story written in the stars. He started so well, and at one point West Ham occupied a Champions league place only to finish the season in seventh place, and a quarter final place in the FA Cup. The season was an emotional roller coaster in part due to it being the final season at the Boleyn Ground. There were some historic wins at Liverpool 3-0, at Arsenal 2-0, and further victories against Tottenham, Chelsea and Manchester City. The final game was a memorable 3-2 win against Manchester United. Dimitri Payet wowed the fans, and he became a legend over night.
Into the next season, and West Ham finished eleventh and Payet went from hero to villain, leaving in January. For the 2017/18 season West Ham found themselves in the relegation zone and they parted ways with Bilic in November 2017. His win percentage at West Ham was 34%
So in first place it has to be David Moyes – Moyesball may have infuriated a lot of fans – myself included yet we won a trophy under his leadership and also competed in a semi final and quarter final in Europe. League finishes of 6th and 7th were also major achievements. In 198 games, West Ham won 73 which gave him a win percentage of 37%.
Lopetegui had a win percentage of 41% at Wolves – which is more than any other manager has achieved at the club, so let’s hope he can replicate that record at West Ham. After 9 league games and two league cup games he is currently on 45%.
